Starting fluid injection device



Nov. 12, 1957 D. M. HARVEY STARTING FLUID INJECTION DEVICE Filed April 21. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- ATTORNEY Nov. 12, 1957 I D. M. HARVEY 2,812,931

I STARTING FLUID INJECTION DEVICE Filed April 21, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 12, 1957 D. M. HARVEY STARTING FLUID INJECTION DEVICE Filed April 21, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 MN 4 W 1 1 a 6 2 w m m w z 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Nov. 12, 1957 Y D. M. HARVEY 2,812,931

STARTING FLUID INJECTION DEVICE Filed April 21, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 56 8 E INVENTOR ATTORNEY United rates 2,s12,sa1

STARTING FLUID INJECTKON DEVICE Draper M. Harvey, Hingharn, Mass, assignor to Automotive & Marine Products Corporation, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 21, 1954, Seriai No. 424,692

17 Claims. (11. 261-64) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 310,583 filed September 20, 1952, for starting fluid injection device.

The present invention relates to the automotive engine art, and has particular reference to a novel engine starter construction.

It has been found that automotive engines of conventional type, and particularly of diesel design, have difiiculty with satisfactory ignition and combustion when the ambient temperatures are plus 40 F., and this difliculty increases greatly as the temperature factor drops below that level.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a starter device which facilitates rapid starting of gasoline and diesel engines under all operating conditions, and particularly when the ambient temperature of the automotive engine is plus 40 F. or less.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for introducing a volatile liquid into the induction system of an engine for transmission to the combustion chamber.

A further object'of the invention is to introduce a volatile starting fluid into the air or air-fuel stream of an automotive engine in the form of a finely com-minuted vapor spray for thorough commingling of the comminuted starting fluid particles with the air or air-fuel stream.

An additional object of the invention is to introduce the volatile starting fluid as a rotating hollow cone spray of predetermined mixture proportion, volume, direction, and included angle of the cone spray, and for a predetermined duration, whereby an adequate volume of starting fluid is conducted to the combustion chamber.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coordinated group of associated component parts of an engine starter which include a starter unit, a volatile fluid supply, a source of pressure air, and a terminal spray nozzle, for supplying a calibrated volume of starting fluid in vaporized form to the engine manifold.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is, a plan view of a preferred arrangement of component parts for a cold engine starter;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of the terminal spray nozzle thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the starter unit;

Fig. 4 is a view of a control head and a base plate for the starter unit, the control head being shown in vertical section; and 7 Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, are sections on the lines 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, and 8-8 of Fig. 4.

It has been found desirable toprovide a starter device for gasoline and diesel engines which is capable of initiating starting at low temperatures, as both industrial and military activities have increased in areas where low temperatures prevail during much of the year. Various aids for improving the ignition and combustion characteristics of engines have been developed for this purpose, including auxiliary starting motors, dual fuel systems, cranking devices, and external heating units for the engines.

The present invention relates to an improved construction for an auxiliary starting device, which provides a starting fluid of proper volume and suitable flow characteristics, and which may be portable or may be permanently attached to an engine. The preferred device includes a pneumatically controlled starter which receives a measured volume of starting fluid from a fluid supply compartment, and which is hydraulically operated from a source of pressure air or from a specially designed pump, the starting fluid being finely dispersed into carrier air and injected into the engine induction system through a terminal spray nozzle in the form of a rotating hollow cone spray. The fluid supply compartment, the starter unit, the control head, and the terminal spray nozzle are designed to provide the requisite starting fluid volumes, the necessary proportions, and the desired form of spray injection, in accordance with the characteristics of the particular automotive engine to be started, and the pressure pump is preferably self-lubricating and self-sealing for functional operation at operating temperatures as low as 65 F.

The starting device illustratively shown in the drawings includes a fluid supply unit 10 with a mixing head 11, a fluid measurement tank 12, an air pump 13, a flow conduit 14 with a terminal spray nozzle tip 15 and an air supply regulator 16, the air pump 13 being connected to the regulator 16, which has two manually operable control valves 17 and 17a.

The fluid supply unit The fluid supply unit it is preferably cylindrical, and includes a housing 18, Fig. 3, having an outer shell 19, a top plate 20 and a base plate 21, the top and base plates being formed with annular grooves 22, 23 for receiving the upper and lower edges of the outer shell together with annular gaskets 24, 25 of silicone or the like to provide seals therefor. An inner shell 26 concentric with the outer shell 19 has its upper and lower edges seated in annular grooves 27, 28 in the top and base plates 29 and Zll, respectively, which have associated sealing gaskets 29, 3t], tie rods 31 being threaded at their lower ends in internally threaded bosses 32 of the base plate 21 and extending through openings 33 of the top plate 2% for locking in place by caps 34 with ring seals 35, whereby an inner fluid compartment 36 and an annular outer air compartment 37 are provided.

The top plate 2%) has a filling opening 38 extending through an upstanding annular flange 39 and a depending internally threaded annular flange 40, the upper edge of the flange 39 being inwardly bevelled and recessed to receive a ring seal 39a. A fill cap 41 of corresponding shape and having a manually graspable handle 42 and a depending closure plug 43 is seated in the filling opening 33 with the lower portion of the plug 43 threaded to lock engage the upper internal threads of the flange 40. A fine mesh cylindrical screen 44 with an upper threaded rim flange 45 is threaded to the lower internal threads of the flange 4% whereby the compartment 36 may be readily filled with filtered starting fluid.

A weather cover 46 is mounted on the fill cap 41, with a downwardly extending flange 47 for protecting the upper end of the fluid supply unit.

The before-mentioned fluid-measurement tank 12 is provided with a cup-shaped compartment 48 constituting a fluid-measuring chamber secured to the lower face of the base plate 21, the base plate and the upper rim of the compartment or chamber 48 being recessed to receive an annular ring seal 48' therebetween, and the bottom of the compartment or chamber 48 having a threaded drain boss 4-9 which is normally closed by a removable drain plug 58. The fluidmeasuring compartment or chamber 48 is provided with a ball float 51 depending from the outer end of a U-shaped float bracket 52 which is pivotally mounted at its inner end on a pin 53 seated in a lug 54 depending from the base plate 21, the lug 54 having a depending float drop limit wire stop 55 and the bracket 52 having an upper valve closure plate 56 mounted thereon, Figs. 3 and 8.

The base plate 21 has a down flow passage 57, Fig. 8, with a threaded enlarged lower portion in which a valve nipple 58 is mounted, the nipple having a central passage 59, lateral flow passages 68, and a lower recess 61 for slidably receiving a fluid flow valve 62 which rests on the plate 56 and is moved upwardly toclose thepassage 59 when the float 51, shown in Fig. 3, but not in Fig. 8, lifts the bracket 52 and the plate 56. The base plate 21 also has an air vent passage 63 which is threaded and receives a vent tube 64 extending upwardly into the fluid compartment 36 to within a short distance of the top plate 20. The passage 63 has a lower enlarged portion threaded to receive a valve nipple 65 with transverse passages 66 and an outflow passage 67, the nipple having a lower recess 68 in which an air-closure valve 69 is slidably received; the air closure valve 69 rests on the plate 56 and is moved upwardly on upward movement of the float 51, its bracket 52 and the valve-closure plate 56, to close the air-vent outflow passage 67.

The mixing head The mixing head 11, Figs. land 4 to 7, is mounted on the base plate 21, and in conjunction with the base plate 21 supplies pressure air for forcing fluid under pressure from the fluid-measuring compartment or chamber 48 to a mixing chamber, in which carrier air is thoroughly mixed with the fluid to provide a starting fluid feed to the automotive engine.

Referring to Fig. 4, the fluid supply unit receives pressure air from the regulator 16 through a primary supply line 78 and a secondary supply line 71, flow through the line 71 being controlled by the regulator valve 17. Frimary pressure air is conveyed through the line 70 to a flow passage 72 in the base 21 and 'into'the annular air compartment 37, see Fig. when the valve 17 is open, secondary air is conveyed through the line 71 and through a ball check valve and a proportioning nozzle as hereinafter described to a flow passage 73 in the mixing head and a flow passage 74 in the base plate, see Fi 6, into the measuring chamber 48, thus placing the starting fluid under air pressure. The starter device is now ready to operate, as the measuring chamber 48 contains a measured volume of starting fluid under pressure, and the air compartment 37 contains a supply of air under pressure.

The valve 17a, which is an on-olf valve, is now opened. Pressure air from the air compartment 37 flows back through the line 78 to the regulator 16, past the valve 17 and through the line 71 to the hereinafter-described mixing chamber 78; and the starting fluid in the measuring chamber 48 feeds upwardly through a feed tube 75, see Fig. 7, and through a passage 76 in the base plate 21 and a passage 77 in the mixing head 11 to the mixing chamber 78, shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. T re pressure air passes through a spring pressed ball check valve '79 and an adjustable proportioning nozzle 88 which projects into the mixing chamber 78 and is adjustable in spaced relation to the fluid outlet feed passage 77 fromthe fluid-measuring chamber 48, as by a threaded mounting, to provide an annular dispersion of starting fluid around an inner cone of carrier-air jet emitted from the orifice of the nozzle 80. The ratio of the fluid-to-air volume in the mixing chamber 78 is thus variable in accordance with the adjustment of the nozzle 80 relative to the fluid outlet 77 from the fluid-measuring chamber 48.

The starting mixture issues from the mixing chamber 78 through a nipple 81 and into the outlet conduit 14a, through the nipple 62, Fig. 1, and past the valve 17a, and then through the conduit 14, which includes a normally open spring pressed check valve 82, to the nozzle tip a slide connector 83 is preferably utilized to set the nozzle 15 into the intake manifold of the engine at a suitable point so as to inject the atomized fluid transversely across the inflowing combustion mixture.

The operation may be briefly described as follows: Valve 17 is opened to fill the air compartment with air under predetermined pressure, the fluid measuring compartment having been automatically filled with a predetermined volume of starting. fluid by the float valve. Valve 17a is now opened; the compartment air, which may be designated as reservoir air under pressure, passes back into the regulator and'then into the mixer, to place the fluid in the measuring compartment under pressure and to mix with the inflowing fluid in the mixing chamber, thus producing an initially highly saturated air-fluid mix ture which passes through the regulator past the on-off valve 17a to the engine manifold. When ignition occurs, valves 17 and 17a are closed; the valves may be left open, if desired, to continue the injection of additional starting fluid for sustaining combustion.

Since the starting fluid is highly volatile, it is desirable to release fluid vapors from the starting fluid compartment 36, a preferred release being shown in Fig. 6, and including a spring pressed ball check valve 87 set in the wall of the inner shell 26, whereby fuel vapor under pressure is released to the air compartment.

The nozzle tip 15, see Fig. 2, includes a plug 84 with double helical surface grooves 85, the inlets to the grooves, shown at the bottom and top peripheral edges of the right-hand face of the double helical grooves 85 in Fig. 2 at 85a and 85b, being set so that one groove receives the heavier fluid and the other the carrier air, whereby a whirling separation occurs and the fluid and air pass from the helical grooves 85 of the plug 84 into the converging portion 86 of the nozzle tip as a whirling outer shell of fluid and a whirling inner core of carrier air, which mix and spread at the nozzle tip outlet in the form of a hollow conical expanding mixture.

The invention thus provides a coordinated group of associated component parts of an engine starter which includes a container 37 for pressure air, a container 36 for volatile starting fluid, a reservoir 48 which holds a specific and measured volume of starting fluid and air, a source of air 13, 16 at controlled pressure, a mixing device 11 for providing an outward flow of vaporized starting fluid in carrier air at a desired pressure differential, a starting fluid mixture supply channel having a ball check valve to prevent flow except as provided for by manual controls, and a terminal spray nozzle 15 fed through the supply channel including a double heli-.

cal grooved member 84 to separate the starting fluid and the carrier air into a peripheral rotating fluid film with an internal rotating high velocity cone of air, whereby a metered and calibrated volume of starting fluid in vaporized form is injected into the engine induction system. If desired, several nozzles may be joined for parallel injection to ensure uniform distribution to a multicylinder engine.

The discharge of a metered volume of volatile fluid in atomized form into the induction system provides an entrainment of the volatile fluid with the intake air mass saturated with primary fuel, whereby the volatile fluid reacts under compression to elevate the temperature of the air mass for prompt ignition of the primary fuel.

v This is particularly eifective in starting a diesel engine. When a diesel engine is operating with normal atmosphere,,the incoming fuel charge cools the air-fluid mixture below the ignition point, particularly under low temperature conditions. When a starting fluid mixture isinjected as herein described, an initially saturated starting mixture is provided, and the ensuing thermal reaction elevates the saturated starting atmosphere to a temperature which is not lowered below the ignition point by the incoming normal fuel charge.

The initial mixing of the starting fluid and its carrier air is proportioned to provide starting combustion characteristics suitable for the particular engine and its ambient temperature conditions.

The provision of a special terminal spray nozzle 15 which has a double helical flow path 85 for separating initially mixed and vaporized starting fluid and carrier air and a conical nozzle tip for remixing, revaporizing, and injecting the atomized starting fluid into the engine induction system as a rotating hollow cone spray, thus provides a thorough dispersion of the starting fluid into the combustion mixture stream. The-starter deviceis safe to operate,as volatile starting fluid vapors are released to the air compartment and thus exit to the engine, check valves being provided as required to prevent circuit flow interference during normal use and operation, such as the before-mentioned check valve 82 in the vapor nozzle andthe check valve 7% in the pressure air supply line 71.

The described starter method and parts are illustrative, as the starter device may be modified to supply a flow of atomized treatment fluid to the intake manifold of an automotive engine by suitable control of the pressure air supply. Such treatment fluid may be of any suitable chemical composition, and may be conveyed to the engine intake manifold intermittently or in substantially steady flow, as required.

Although I have disclosed specific constructional embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may be made to suit different engine starting requirements, without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for introducing a spray of a volatile starting fluid into the induction system of a combustion chamber, comprising a first compartment for storing the volatile starting fluid, a second compartment closed to the atmosphere for storing under pressure a predetermined volume of air, a third compartment having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected by a valving mechanism to the first compartment to fill the third compartment with a predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid as measured by the operation of the valving mechanism and related to the said predetermined volume of stored air, means for introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the third compartment to drive the predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid through the third-compartment outlet, a fluid-air mixing chamber, means for simultaneously introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the mixing chamber as a jet, and means for combining the starting fluid driven through the third-compartment outlet with the said jet to drive the starting fluid along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid carried by the jet, thereby to provide a spray of the starting fluid for injection into an induction system associated with a combustion chamber and the like.

2. Apparatus for introducing a spray of a volatile starting fluid into the induction system of a combustion chamber, comprising a first compartment for storing the volatile starting fluid, a second compartment closed to the atmosphere for storing under pressure a predetermined volume of air, a third compartment having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected by a valving mechanism to the first compartment to fill the third compartment with a predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid as measured by the operation of the valving mechanism and related. tothe said predetermined volume of stored air,. means for introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the third compartment to drive the predetermined volume of the V013: tile starting fluid through the third-compartment outlet, a fluid-air mixing chamber, means comprising an orifice of dimensions less than those of the mixing chamber for simultaneously introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the mixing chamber as a jet, and means for introducing the starting fluid driven through the third-compartment outlet along the side of tne jet to drive the starting fluid along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid carried by the jet, thereby to provide a spray of the starting fluid for injection into an induction system associated with a combustion chamber and the like.

3. Apparatus for introducing a finely comminuted mist of a volatile starting fluid into the induction system of a combustion chamber, comprising a first compartment for storing the volatile starting fluid, a second compartment closed to the atmosphere for storing under pressure a predetermined volume of air, a third compartment having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected by a valving mechanism to the first compartment to fill the third compartment with a predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid as measured by the operation of the valving mechanism and related to the said predetermined volume of stored air, means for introducing air stored under pressure in thesecond compartment into the third compartment to drive the predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid through the third-compartment outlet, a fluid-air mixing chamber, means for simultaneously introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the mixing chamber as a jet, means for combining the starting fluid driven through the third-compartment outlet with the said jet to drive the starting fluid along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid carried by the jet, thereby to provide a spray of the starting fluid, and an injection nozzle for finely comminuting the spray into a mist prior to injection into a combustion chamber and the like, the nozzle having a first portion provided with at least a pair of openings positioned so that once the starting fluid enters one of the openings the jet of air will thereupon force its way through the other opening, the openings each communicating with a separate substantially helical channel in order to set the starting fluid and air into rotation as respective Whirling streams of starting-fluid particles and air as they emerge from their respective channels, and a second terminal portion comprising a converging outlet aperture region for confining the rotating streams of starting-fluid particles and air to produce emerging from the said conver ing outlet a rotating inner cone of pressurized air spreading an outer cone of rotating particles of the starting fluid as a finely comminuted mist.

4. Apparatus for introducing a finely comminuted mist of a volatile starting fluid into the induction system of a combustion chamber, comprising a first compartment for storing the volatile starting fluid, a second compartmerit closed to the atmosphere for storing under pressure a predetermined volume of air, a third compartment having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected by a valving mechanism to the first compartment to fill the third compartment with a predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid as measured by the operation of the valving mechanism and related to the said predetermined volume of stored air, means for introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the third compartment to drive the predetermined Volume of the volatile starting fluid through the third-compartment outlet, a fluid-air mixing chamber, means for simultaneously introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the mixing chamber as a jet, means for combining the starting fluid driven through the thirdcompartment outlet with the said jet to drive the starting fluid along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid carried by the jet, thereby to provide a spray of the starting fluid, and an injection nozzle for finely comminuting the spray into a mist prior to injection into the combustion chamber and the like, the nozzle having a first portion of substantially circular cross-section provided with a cylindrical plug having at least a pair of openings positioned at spaced points near the periphery ofithe plug so that once the starting fluid enters one of the peripheral openings the jet of air will thereupon force its way through the other peripheral opening, the peripheral openings each communicating with a separate substantially helical channel grooved along the outer surface of the plug in order to set the starting fluid and air into rotation as respective whirling streams of starting-fluid particles and air as they emerge from their respective channels, and a second terminal portion comprising a converging conical outlet aperture region for gradually confining the rotating streams of starting-fluid particles and air to produce emerging from the said converging outlet a rotating inner cone of pressurized air spreading an outer cone of rotating particles of the starting fluid as a finely comminuted mist.

5. In apparatus for introducing a finely comminuted mist of a volatile starting fluid into the induction system of a combustion chamber, an injection nozzle having an inlet for receiving pressured streams of air and starting fluid, a first portion connected to the inlet provided with at least a pair of openings positioned so that once the starting-fluid stream enters one of the openings the received stream of air will thereupon force its way through the other opening, the openings each communicating with a separate substantially helical channel in order to set the streams of starting fluid and 'air into rotation as they emerge from their respective channels, and a second terminal portion comprising a converging outlet aperture region for confining the rotating streams of starting-fluid particles and air to produce emerging from the said outlet a rotating inner cone of pressurized air spreading an outer cone of rotating particles of the starting fluid as a finely comminuted mist.

6. In apparatus for introducing a finely comminuted mist of a volatile starting fluid into the induction system of a combustion chamber, an injection nozzle having an inlet for receiving pressured streams of air and starting fluid, a first portion of substantially circular crosssection connected to the inlet provided with a cylindrical plug having at least a pair of openings positioned at spaced points near the periphery of the plug so that once the starting-fluid stream enters one of the peripheral openings the received stream of air will thereupon force its way through the other peripheral opening, the peripheral openings each communicating with a separate substantially helical channel grooved along the outer surface of the plug in order to set the streams of starting fluid and air into rotation as they emerge from their respective channels, and a second terminal portion comprising a converging conical outlet aperture region for gradually confining the rotating streams of starting-fluid particles and air to produce emerging from the said outlet a rotating inner cone of pressurized air spreading an outer cone of rotating particles of the starting fluid as a finely comminuted mist.

7. Apparatus for introducing a spray of a volatile starting fluid into the induction system of a combustion chamber, comprising a first substantially cylindrical compartment for storing the volatile starting fluid, a second substantially cylindrical compartment coaxially surrounding the first compartment and closed to the atmosphere for storing under pressure a predetermined volume of air, a third compartment depending from the first compartment and having an inlet at its upper end and an outlet comprising a conduit inserted into the third compartment, the inlet being connected by a float-type valving mechanism to the first compartment to fill the'third compartment under the action of gravity with a predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid as measured by the operation of the float of the valving mechanism and related to the said predetermined volume of stored air, a valve-controlled air line for introducing air'stored under pressure in, the second compartment into the upper portion of the third compartment to drive the predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid up through the third-compartment outlet conduit, a fluid-air mixing chamber means comprising a centrally disposed orifice ofdimensionstless than those of the mixing chamber connected with the said air line for simultaneously introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the mixing chamber as a jet, and means for connecting the third-compartment outlet conduit to the mixing chamber at a point Where the starting fluid driven through the third-compartment outlet conduit will enter along the side of the said jet to drive the starting fluid along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid carried by the jet, thereby to provide a spray of the starting fluid for injection into a combustion chamber and the like.

8. Apparatus for introducing a finely comminuted mist of a volatile starting fluid into the induction system of a combustion chamber, comprising a first substantially cylindrical compartment for storing the volatile starting fluid, atsecond substantially cylindrical compartment coaxially surrounding the first compartment and closed to the atmosphere for storing under pressure a predetermined volume of air, a third compartment depending from the first compartment and having an inlet at its upper end and an outlet comprising a conduit inserted into the third compartment, the inlet being connected by a float-type valving mechanism to the first compartment to fill the third compartment under the action of gravity with a predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid as measured by the operation of the float of the valving mechanism and related to the said predetermined volume of stored air, a valve-controlled air line for introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the upper portion of the third compartment to drive the predetermined volume of the volatile starting fluid up through the thirdcompartment outlet conduit, a fluid-air mixing chamber, means comprising a centrally disposed orifice of dimensions less than those of the mixing chamber connected with the said air line for simultaneously introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the mixing chamber as a jet, means for connecting the third-compartment outlet conduit to the mixing chamber at a point where the starting fluid driven through the third-compartment outlet conduit will enter along the side of the said jet to drive the starting fluid along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid carried by the jet, thereby to provide a spray of the starting fluid, and an injection nozzle for finely comminuting the spray into a mist prior to injection into a combustion chamber and the like, the nozzle having a first portion provided with at least a pair of openings positioned so that once the starting fluid enters one of the openings the jet of air Will thereupon force its way through the other opening, the openings each communicating with a separate substantially helical channel in order to set the starting fluid and air into rotation as respective whirling streams of starting-fluid particles and air as they emerge from their respective channels, and a second terminal portion comprising a converging outlet aperture region for confining the rotating streams of starting-fluid particles and air to produce emerging from the said converging outlet a rotating inner cone of pressurized air spreading an outer cone nd ofrotating particles of the starting fluid as a finelycom minuted mist.

9. Apparatus for introducing a spray of a volatile starting fluid into the induction systemof a combustion chamber, comprising afirst compartment for storing the volatile starting fluid having an outlet, a second compartment closed to the atmosphere for storing air under pressure, means for introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the first compartment to drive the volatile starting fluid through the first-compartment outlet, a fluid-air mixing chamber, means for simultaneously introducing air stored under pressure in the second compartment into the mixing chamber as a jet, and means for combining the starting fluid driven through the first-compartment outlet With the said jet to drive the starting fluid along the jet as a dispersion of particles of the starting fluid carried by the jet, thereby to provide a spray of the starting fluid, and an injection nozzle for finely comminuting the spray into a mist prior to injection into a combustion chamber and the like, the nozzle having a first portion provided with at least a pair of openings positioned so that once the starting fluid enters one of the openings the jet of air will thereupon force its way through the other opening, the openings each communicating with a separate substantially helical channel in order to set the starting fluid and air into rotation as respective whirling streams of starting-fluid particles and air as they emerge from their respective channels, and a second terminal portion comprising a converging outlet aperture region for confining the rotating streams of starting-fluid particles and air to produce emerging from the said converging outlet a rotating inner cone of pressurized air spreading an outer cone of rotating particles of the starting fluid as a finely comminuted mist.

10. A method of preparing a volatile starting fluid that comprises, storing a volatile starting fluid external to a combustion chamber, withdrawing a predetermined measured volume only of the stored starting fluid, storing a predetermined volume of compressed air related to the predetermined measured volume of the starting fluid, introducing air from the stored compressed air into the predetermined measured volume of starting fluid to drive the starting fluid to a predetermined point, simultaneously introducing at the predetermined point a jet of air from the stored compressed air to carry the starting fluid driven to the predetermined point along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid, thereby to provide a spray, comminuting the spray into a fine vapor mist of the starting fluid, and injecting the vapor mist into an induction system associated with the combustion chamber during the aspiration period in the combustion chamber.

11. A method of preparing a volatile starting fluid that comprises, storing a volatile starting fluid external to a combustion chamber, withdrawing a predetermined measured volume only of the stored starting fluid, storing a predetermined volume of compressed air related to the predetermined measured volume of the starting fluid, introducing air from the stored compressed air into the predetermined measured volume of starting fluid to drive the starting fluid to a predetermined point, simultaneouay introducing at the predetermined point a jet or" air in i the stored compressed air to carry the starting fluid dr to the predetermined point along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid, thereby to provide a spray, imparting rotation to the particles of start ing fluid and the air to produce separate whirling stre of starting-fluid particles and air, confining the wl streams in successively increasing degrees, ejecting the confined whirling streams as a rotating inner cone of pressurized air spreading outward an outer cone of rotating particles of the starting fluid as a finely comminuted vapor mist, and injecting the vapor mist into an induction system associated with the combustion chamber during the aspiration period in the combustion chamber.

12. A method of'preparing a volatile starting fluid that comprises, storing a volatile starting fluid external to a combustion chamber, storing a predetermined volume of compressed air, introducing air from the stored compressed air into the stored'starting fluid to drive the starting fluid to a predetermined point, simultaneously introducing at the predetermined point a jet of air from the stored compressed air to carry the starting fluid driven to the predetermined point along the jet as an annular dispersion of particles of the starting fluid, thereby to provide a spray, comminuting the spray into a fine vapor mist of the starting fluid, and injecting the vapor mist into an induction system associated with the combustion chamber during the aspiration period in the combustion chamber.

13. A method of preparing a volatile starting fluid that comprises, storing a volatile starting fluid external to a combustion chamber, storing a predetermined volume of compressed air, introducing air from the stored compressed air into the stored starting fluid to drive the starting fluid to a predetermined point, simultaneously introducing at the predetermined point a jet of air from the stored compressed air to carry the starting fluid driven to the predetermined point along the jet as an annular dis persion of particles of the starting fluid, imparting rotation to the particles of starting fluid and the air to produce separate whirling streams of starting-fluid particles and air, confining the whirling streams in successively increasing degrees, ejecting the confined whirling streams as a rotating inner cone of pressurized air spreading outward an outer cone of rotating particles of the starting fluid as a finely comminuted vapor mist, and injecting the vapor mist into an induction system associated with the cornbustion chamber during the aspiration period in the cornbustion chamber.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and in which the said orifice is adjustable to vary the ratio of fiuid-to-air volume in the said mixing chamber.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and in which the said orifice and the said third-compartment outlet are relatively adjustable to vary the ratio of fluid-to-air volume in the mixing chamber.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and in which there is provided means for reproducibly controlling the initial starting-fluid-particle concentration and the rate of diminishing of the same.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and in which there are provided an output conduit connected to the said fluidair mixing chamber and containing a first valve adapted to release fluid-air mixture, when the same is emitted from the mixing chamber, along the conduit into the combustion chamber and the like; an external source of pressurized air for feeding the air to be stored in the said second compartment to a predetermined pressure capacity; and a second valve for permitting the introduction of air stored in the second compartment into the said third compartment and into the mixing chamber to produce a pressurized fluid-air mixture in the mixing chamber that flows therefrom through the said output conduit to the combustion chamber and the like, the second valve being adapted to permit the subsequent closing ofl of air communication between the second and third compartments after any desired time interval in order to control the introduction of starting fluid into the combustion chamber and the like in accordance with the amount of stored air introduced into the third compartment.

Faller July 25, 1911 Kelley Dec. 9, 1913 (Other references on following page) 1'1 .1 UNITED STATES PATENTS "1,874,209

Sieverts 2--. "Dec. 2, 1919 2 3 Williams Nov. 16, 1926 2,080,567 Viet Aug. 16, 1927 2,450,295

Portail Apr. 1, 1930 5 5 9 12 Schnabel Aug. 30, 1932 Chandler Aug. 25, 1936 Ginter et a1 May 18, 1937 Parker et a1 Sept. 28, 1948 Fahrbach July 1, 1952 

